Improvement in gas-generating apparatus



Z. S. DURFEE. y s'sheetS--sheeuf Improved Gas-Gn'erator.

No. w25-511;'

Patented Jan. 2, 1872.

Z. S, `DU R F E E 3 Shefzts--Sheet 3.

Improved Gas Generator. Y NG. 122,311., Patentedlan.2,1872.

Y F139. KL g .EJ

zoHErH s. DURFEE, or NEWv YORK, N. Y.

IMPRQVEM'ENT IN GAs-G'ENERATlNe APPARATUS.

y, UNITED STAIES PATENTFFICE al Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,311, dated January 2, 1872; antedated December 16, 1871.

I, ZonErH 'Si DURFEE, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements inAppara-tus for Generating Gas from Fuel in a more or less pulverized or comminuted state, such as the slack of anthracite coal 5 and I declare the nature of said invention to beas follows, reference being had to thev accompanying drawing:

I arrange a fuel-chamber and feeding apparatus in connection with a furnace and the grates or apparatus, in and upon which the fuel is to be decomposed, in such wise that the fuel shall be fed regularly 4and mechanically over the whole surface of the grates in 'the furnace, and that the ashes resulting from the decomposition shall be regularly and mechanically removed, the fuel upon the grates being kept at any desired depth.

the furnace B upon the grates E E, which are constructed like the grates C C, andfhave a 'corresponding series of picks, F' F', operating like the picks D' D', and rotating with the shafting F F F driven by gears H H, which are set in motion by conelpulleys K and L fixed respectively upon one of the shafts D and F, as shown. The picks F' F' are for removing the ashes produced in the decomposition of the fuel on the grates E E, and by the use ofthe conepulleys the speed ofthe picks F' Ifn,l can he regulated so that it will be in proper'relation to thespeed otA D' D', which deliver the fuel. Air is supplied beneaththe grates E E by blast or draught, as may be desired; but I prefer to Work the furnace or generator by draught, so regulated as that none of the fuel used will be carried off `with the gases developed. The feeding-chamber A has a series of doors, U U, by which the fuel is introduced, and its construction and the connection ofthe grates and shafting with the chamber will be readily seen in the drawing. The gases produced are let oft' by flues M M in the rear walls of the furnace. In this drawing the gasgeneratin g apparatus is shown in immediate connection with a reverberatory furnace only partly indi` cated, but the gas can be taken oif by pipes or iiue's to be burned anywhere; or the apparatus may be attached to furnaces of any description. In lieu of the arrangementjust described for feeding the fuel and removing the ashes a series of picks may be xed vertically on the shafts D D and F F, and be made to project up into thefuel or ashes on the respective grates, and be operated by a reciprocating movement imparted to the shafts D D and F F in any of the common plans for imparting such movement. The grates (l C and E E may also be constructed so as to have a partial rotation, or be moved to and fro in a horizontal plane ,A by suitable machinery so as to sift out the fuel` and ashes 5 and either of these `plans may be applied to one of the gra-tes and another to the other grate. The shafts D D and FF may also be made to carry chain-Wheels, on which short endless chain-belts may be worked by each alternate pair of shafts so as to deliver both the fuel and ashes. The shafts D D and FFmay also be corrugated in the direction of their c length, or carry teeth upon them which nearly mesh into each other, and take theiuel and ashes down by their revolution; or they may carry toothed Wheels which mesh and interlock with each other, the shafts and wheels in such cases constituting the grates.

0n Plate II I show some of the last-named plans of workingmy gas-generators, Figs. 4, 5,

and 6 showing partial vertical and transverse sections and a partial elevation of one plan; Figs. 7 and 8, a partial vertical section and plan of another; and Figs. 12 and 13, details of other plans. In Figs. 4., 5, and 6 the picks D' are reciprocated on the shaft D by means of a connecting-rod and crank worked by the pulley K, the picks projecting through the grates C C, alike arrangement being made at` reciprocating grates, as their construction will be easily understood. Fig. 12 shows an arrangement whereby small toothed gears, re-

volving with the shafts D D j ust clear4 of each other, may be substituted for the grates hereinbefore described; and'Fig. 173 shows another plan similar to the last,`in which the shafts D D have ribs cast lengthwise upon them, and are arranged so that they delivervboth fuel and Vashes automatically.

'f On Plate III I show another arrangement ness on the 'grate being regulated by sliding valves V Worked by screws Aand hand-wheels. or in any convenient manner. The. grates C and E are endless chain-belts driven by suitable gearing, .the speed of which may be regulated as may be found desirable.

The operation of the generator is as follows: The fuel fed upon the grate Gis carried thereon across the generator and delivered upon the grate E, by which it is carried back again; and having in mean time been deprived of all its combustible elements by the air forced or admitted into the chamber P and up through the grates, the ashes and refuse matters resulting from its decomposition are deposited in the chamber X. The spa-ce between the grates E and C and the depth of the fuel on the gratas should be such that no air or gases can pass up between them and out at M without being properly earburized. The lower half of the grate C will, of course, become considerably heated as it 'passes over the re on E; but this heat will serve to ignite the fuel fed in atV as it is takemalong by the successive bars of C, and soassist in developing the gas required. The gases produced pass up through flues M into a iiue, N, leading' to the main gas-flue, or to any furnace in which the gas is to be consumed. There is,v an iron plate at the top of the division-wall O which the grates E just touch in their passage, thus preventing much 'air from passing fromfP between the grates without having iirst passed. up through the grates E. `The chamber X isclosed bya door as at Y, and the chamber P by similar doors Z Z. If necessary, the shafts D D and F E may be made hollow, and bckfept cool by cur.

rents vof Water.

Having thus describedv my said improvements, What I claim is#- l. Gas-generators constructed with combined autom atie feeding apparatus and automatic apparatus for clearing the gra-tes, so that the fuel used shall be fed automaticallyA in a. continuous shower over the grates whereon it is to be decomposed, and that the ashes and refuse 'from such decomposition shall be automatically and regularly removed from these gra-tese` 2. The various plans foraccomplishing this purpose, substantially as described and shown on Plates I and Il of the drawings herewith.

3. The ga-sgenerators, substantially as shown on Plate III, for decomposing fuel on endlessv chaingrates.

Z. S. DURFEE, y

'.(Or) ZOHETH S. DURFEE.

Witnesses:

W. H. SEYMOUR, Y y EMIL HEUsNER. v (66) 

